Friendly Fire
by Hammerin
Summary: "I cast my affections into the fire to rise in smoke, not to be trampled on like ashes." Canon until 2.22


_prequel to Definite _

From the second floor balcony of the police station, Hunter watched as a few meta-humans he'd met previously, self-titled 'henchmen', pushed the precinct's doors open as the clock struck midnight. His dark mask disguised the devious smirk tugging at his lips; the claws of his suit drumming at the railing. Overzealous superpower embodied villains trickled through the tight doors, their volume echoing through the hollow lobby. Shadows cast from the Gothic ceiling hid their leaders figure; Hunter watched a few of the extroverted metas erupt into fights, the lobby becoming more crowded. Remembering his previous engagement, he retreated, promising himself he would give his new followers the gift of his presence when they all arrived.

Stalking back into the wide office space of the second floor, Hunter pulled off the black mask, offering a smile to the downtrodden woman in the room. "Cait,' he smirked, dropping the mask on a desk as he slinked in.

Frowning as the moonlight danced against her skin, the woman squirmed as Hunter neared her, his hand raising her chin to face him. " _Caitlin_ ,' she muttered, refusing to look into blue eyes, disgruntled with the nickname he continued to pressure on her.

Hunter raised his hands in submission, " _Caitlin_ ,' he insisted. Towering over the young woman still, Hunter wracked his brain for alternatives that might make her feel more comfortable, a way to strengthen his argument yet to come. After a few seconds, he huddled over, exerting minimal energy to speed his hands movement. Hunter quickly cut the handcuffs binding Caitlin, her pupils widening at his actions. Looking into her eyes, he raised his eyebrows and stepped back. "Sit... on the desk or something,' he suggested, hoping that she might feel some regard whilst being at eye level. He wasn't a fan of having to bind her, but he knew that she'd try to escape if he didn't. Hunter figured that putting her at eye level was enough to convince her that he considered them equal. She was, by far, the smartest person he had ever met.

Caitlin watched the man suspiciously, eventually moving over to the desk and pushing herself onto it's surface. She crossed her arms and tried to keep eyes on Hunter, but her attention was soon drawn to the noise and movement from the first floor. "What's going on?' she asked curiously.

Looking over his shoulder, Hunter laughed. "I see you've noticed my friends,' he responded, crossing his arms and looking back to the woman.

She rolled her eyes, "Since when do you have friends?"

Hunter smiled pleasantly at Caitlin's wit, "We have this quote on Earth-2. _'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'_ ,' he detailed, nodding his head when Caitlin signaled her familiarity with the line. "It's easier finding metahumans on your Earth, however,' he crossed his arms and looked back to the lobby. "And they seem to hate Barry Allen as much as I do."

"Whatever you're planning-,'

"How do you know I'm planning anything?' Hunter asked quickly, turning his head to the side to look at the woman.

"Unless you invited them here for tea, I know you're planning something… _bad_. I'm not dumb, Jay."

"Yes, far from it,' he replied, rubbing his hand along his jaw and beginning to pace around the desk. "That's why we would be _so_ good together, Caitlin! You, however, aren't smart enough to see that."

"I'm smart enough to know you kidnapped me and that we will _never_ be together."

"Ah, _never_. That's so permanent, don't you think?' Hunter said, rounding to the back of the desk and placing his hands heavily on the wood. Caitlin jumped at his sudden company, the man's voice heavy on her neck. Tilting his head in a glimpse of sorrow, he backed away. "You'll come around,' he finished.

"I'll never come around if you can't start out with at least being honest with me,' Caitlin turned to face Hunter, hoping her feigned sincerity might give her some insight into his plans. "Why are they here?"

"As a distraction,' he confessed.

"A distraction for what?"

"It doesn't matter,' Hunter said firmly. "They're here because I need them, and so are you. But,' his voice changed. "I'm tired of feeling like I'm keeping you against your will."

Caitlin forced her hands between her knees as they began to shake, "You want me to go?"

"No, of course not,' Hunter frowned. "I want you to be here because you choose to be here. _I love you_ ,' he confessed. Nodding, Hunter continued, "I know it's mutual, but I want you to make the choice to stay."

"And if I go?' Caitlin asked wide-eyed.

"Then I can't protect you."

"What do you mean? Protect me from what?"

Stepping closer to the brunette, Hunter pushed himself onto the desk and faced her. Wearily, Caitlin pushed herself away a few inches, but turned to the menacing man. His eyebrows furrowed when she moved away, but he trudged past it. "My love only abounds so far, Caitlin. I cast my affections into the fire to rise in smoke, not to be trampled on like ashes. Emotions… _they're such a weakness_. - That was something I liked about you, you're pragmatic. We saw eye-to-eye." Hunter looked away from Caitlin, licking his lips before continuing. "You are my only touch with humanity. If you leave me, there will only be darkness left. I want you to know that you will be the reason for the darkness,' he glanced over at her. "The only reason."

"What are you saying?' Caitlin asked, her voice a slow whisper.

"I'm saying Central City will burn. You can rise in the smoke or be trampled on like ashes,' he hopped off the desk. "It's your choice."

"Hunter!' Caitlin almost pleaded at the man's retreating body, Hunter beginning to circle the desk once more. "Those are my friends, my family… What do you want me to do? Watch you kill them all?"

"No,' turning around, Hunter's eyes widened in surprise, his face serious. "You wouldn't have to watch."

Caitlin's mouth opened in fear, she scooted back on the desk, as far from the dark man as possible. "Hunter, you don't have to do this." Running through possible solutions, she found the easiest one. "I'll be with you,' she tried to persuade him. "But how can I love someone who killed all my friends and family?"

Hunter smiled and nodded, stepping toward her again. "I thought you might say that. We'll start our own family,' he tilted his head. "I never really thought I was the father-type, seeing as though I watched my own father kill my mother in front of me,' he revealed dryly, looking away as if remembering the scene. "But,' he snapped back, placing a hand on Caitlin's shoulder, the latter looking at it coldly before glancing back up. "We could do it. Of course, my strict parenting style would conflict with your, probably, docile, hands-off approach, but compromise! The foundation of all healthy relationships… _after sacrifice_."

Caitlin slid Hunter's hand from off her shoulder, frowning as she bit her lip. "That will never happen,' she said under her breath. "Why isn't being the fastest man in the universe enough for you? Why do you need to kill so many people?"

"It's all I know."

"Jay, you're charismatic, funny, charming. Handsome,' Caitlin offered. "You could go to another Earth, start over. It doesn't have to end like this."

"But it does, Caitlin, you don't get that either. No matter where I am or who I'm with, I will always have the urge to conquer and destroy. It's what I am. The only thing that scares me is the idea of a world where I can not exert my power."

"You could use your speed for good,' Caitlin suggested, shrugging briefly as Hunter began to pace again.

"Where's the fun?"

"So, whether I stay or go, people will die?' Caitlin said in realization, saddened but firm.

"Yes,' Hunter responded flatly. "The variable is whether you die or not. I don't want to kill you, Caitlin."

"But you will, if even for a second you feel like you don't have complete and utter control over me, you'll slit my throat,' Caitlin retorted. "Or just stick your entire hand through it, right?"

"I'm on your side, Caitlin,' Hunter replied, offended.

Biting down, Caitlin crossed her arms tightly and listened as the crowd in the lobby grew louder. She could still make out Hunter's pacing through the room, though her heartbeat drowned out the footsteps in medium. Hunter _had_ previously expressed his desire to conquer and destroy, but she'd always assumed that she had enough influence to stop him. They'd gone back and forth before, but never had she felt so powerless. He was dealing his final card, she could no longer bluff.

"What if,-'

" **Cait,** _ **please**_ ,' Hunter responded, rounding the desk again, his voice heavy with agitation.

" **I asked you not to call me that** ,' she responded, looking at the man seconds after he cut her off.

" **Caitlin** ,' Hunter corrected. " **We've been through this again and again, and we've gotten nowhere. Now, I need to know: are you with me, or are you against me? Don't answer that yet."** Bending down, Hunter conferred his final attempt at persuasion. To pit her above himself. " **I'm gonna go out there, spend a moment speaking to my friends,** ' he began, having heard the roar of the metas as well.

" **When I come back, you'll give me your answer. If you're still here, I'll know you've chosen to stay with me. But if you're not here, I'll know you've chosen your friends instead. - And I will show you exactly as much mercy as I will show them when we next see each other.** "

Caitlin, defeated, tilted her head, sighing in hopes that he would grant her some surcease.

" **And there you have it,** ' Hunter completed, standing up and wiping his hands off on his legs. He looked over his shoulder to the lighted lobby, " **I need to go**."

Caitlin watched as he retreated, picking up his mask on the way out. Her stomach, in knots, vicariously showed the confusion her brain could not.


End file.
